122 Tasting Notes

I wish I still had some of Lupicia’s regular Earl Grey blend, so I could compare the two teas. Off the top of my head (tip of my tongue?) I can’t say for sure what the difference is. I think Earl Grey had a stronger bergamot flavor than the Breakfast blend does but that is based on a fuzzy memory.

This is a gentle, more sedated Earl Grey. The bergamot is definitely there, but it’s very balanced with the black tea. Just the sort of thing you want in the morning, when you are just waking up.

I just don’t get candy apple from this blend. Specifically, the apple is lacking. I can taste something sweet, like maple or caramel. It’s a heavy, sticky sort of sugar layered over black tea. But never apple. I wonder if milk would enhance the flavor and bring out the latent fruitiness?

I received this blend in teabags (Stash also sells it loose, I believe) and what can I say? It’s a pretty standard jasmine tea. Tastes like flowers.

It’s worth noting that I was able two great tasting steeps from the teabag, and a third mediocre one. I rarely seem able to get more than one decent tasting brew from a single bag, so three seemed pretty neat.

I’m not big on spicy, but my boyfriend bought this for me for Valentine’s Day (aaaaaaaw, how sweet) so I felt obliged to drink up.
I’m not a big rooibos fan either, although I tolerate it when I can’t have caffeine.

It’s kinda neat looking at the dry leaves and seeing all the spices mixed in, especially the big pods that I think are cocoa kernels.

So this blend is pretty much what it promises to be – a spicy hot chocolate-like drink. Unfortunately that rooibos flavor is there, too, so for me it doesn’t work as an actual hot chocolate substitute. Also, ginger dominates the spice flavors. Definitely not a flavor combination for me.

I don’t drink many savory teas; I tend to like my tea sweet enough to rot your teeth out and fruity like Carmen Miranda’s head gear. But I made it a goal to try all of Lupicia’s matcha latte blends, and this is the fifth and final flavor.

It’s a nice blend. There’s a nice toasted element thanks to the soybeans, similar to genmaicha. Roasted soy beans and powdered green tea. It’s good mixed into hot water, but mixed with milk it’s even better. The creaminess of the milk makes roasted flavor even more prominent.

I really didn’t think I would care much for this blend, but it’s pretty nice. I’d buy it again.

This is probably my favorite holiday tea. (I’ve never cared for ‘spicy’ cinnamon or chai teas, so that tends to eliminate about three quarters of the holiday blends out there.)

The word that comes to mind as I drink this is creamy. Apricot flavor can go one of two ways: it can either be sharp and tangy, almost citrus-like in its intensity, or it can be very soft and mellow. This apricot definitely falls into the latter category. I’m guessing its the influence of the white chocolate, which I don’t really taste otherwise. I get the tiniest hint of vanilla, too.

So what is orzo? It was recommended to me as a coffee alternative, so when I saw it at Lupicia I was curious. As I picked it up, I remember thinking, “Gee, but it has no caffeine, which is pretty much why I drink coffee. Certainly not for the taste. I don’t think I want this if it tastes like coffee…there’s no benefit!” Then I noticed that they had some flavored orzo selections as well, and after some debating I decided to take home the Orzo Strawberry. I’ve had good luck with Lupicia’s other strawberry teas.

Whatever they use for strawberry flavoring in the “Carol” and “Strawberry & Vanilla” teas, it’s here as well, and quite strong. It complements the orzo, which tastes like toasted rice with a hint of chocolate. Yes, chocolate! So I guess this is like a malty chocolate-covered strawberry.

Preparation

Well, it tastes like grapes. Big, purple grapes.
In fact, I feel like I’m in church, drinking the communion grape juice.

The tea’s pretty perfumey, and the grape flavoring tastes pretty fake. I can barely taste the sencha, save for a slight bitterness. Too bad. The tea is completely overwhelmed by whatever they used to to pump up the grape flavoring.

The brew itself is the yellow-green of green grapes, which would be thematically appropriate if the ‘sweet andmellow Kyoho grape’ that flavors this drink wasn’t a deep purple-black. But hey, props for trying!

It’s pretty light, but the Sweet Potato Pie tea does have a yammy flavor. Starchy. I don’t get the ‘pie’ so much as the vegetable, although maybe it’d be a bit creamy if I added some milk. I actually like the tea; it’s a good savory flavor, but like a couple of other people commented, I’m a bit stumped by what to drink it with.